Method of securing combustion of coal and similar products.



J. H. PARSONS.

METHOD OF SECURING GOMBUSTION 0? GOAL AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1907.

1,066,043, Patented July 1, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

vwemto'cs wi cmaooao r coumsu i LANOnRAPu caflwAsnmufou. D. c.

J. H. PARSONS.

METHOD OF SECURING COMBUSTION OF GOAL AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS.

- I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1907. 1,066,043.

Patented July 1, 1913.

3 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

Y J. H. PARSONS. METHOD OF SEGURING COMBUSTION 0? GOAL AND SIMILAR PRODUGTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1, 1907' 1,066,043. Patented July 1, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

avwe ntoz: WHWWAOQQ:

M/ foknflj anrms,

status JOHN H. PARSONS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PARSONS ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD OF SECURING COMBUSTION OF COAL AND SIMILAR PRODUCTS.

Application filed November 1, 1907.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN H. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at- Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Securing Combustion of Coal and Similar Products, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to the art of fuel combustion, and has for its object the provision of an improved method of insuring substantially complete combustion of coal and similar products, from which any or all of the following successful and practical results may be obtained, to wit: first, a substantial saving in fuel; second, more intense heat and corresponding greater efficiency of an engine or furnace; third, the facilitation of the maintenance of any required draft through the fuel while supplying adequate air, steam, or air and steam, to the gaseous or other products arising from the burning fuel to insure combustion of such products; fourth, the practical elimination of objectionable smoke and gas; fifth, the preservation of the furnace from damage by rapid fluctuations in temperature; and sixth, the saving of labor on the part of the attendants.

With reference to the characteristic features of the present method it may be noted that they are ancillary to the method dis closed in my copending application filed November 23, 1906, Serial No. 344,79a.

This invention embraces the method of introducing into a furnace or engine fire box air, steam, or air and steam, in volume of sheet formation substantially covering the fuel area and forcing said sheet over the fuel in the direction of the general line of draft through the fire box, the volume or body of air, etc.,. thus introduced and its impetus being such that the sheet is not materially dissipated or consumed in its passage directly over the fuel whereby it is adequate upon reaching the combustion area beyond the fuel bed to fully connningle with the products arising from the burning fuel and practically insure the consumption of the finer particles of fuel, and gases Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1913.

Serial No. 400,169.

etc., Without impairing the required draft through the fire grate. The air, prior to its discharge into the fire box, is preferably heated to near the point of combustion when commingled with the gaseous products arising from the fuel.

The invention also comprehends the feeding of fuel to the furnace in relatively small quantities or shallow layers as compared with the mode of furnace feeding ordinarily employed, whereby the fuel will readily and quickly ignite and burn incident to the draft through the body thereof, and supplying a volume of highly heated air forcibly thereover in sufficient quantity to perfeet the combustion of the arising or floating products, and in a Way not to impede the required draft through the fuel bed.

When the invention is carried into practical effect in connection with the ordinary type of steam locomotive wherein the exhaust from the engine is utilized to create a forced draft through the the grate, fuel and boiler tubes, the power of such exhaust being usually more than necessary to create the desired draft, whereby damaging influences exist, the volume of air, in addition to the good results otherwise obtained therefrom, supplies the added medium to relieve the exhaust, thus preventing the same from carrying ofi the smaller particles of unconsumed fuel, while at the same time, as the suction of the exhaust is reduced, the current of air over the fuel bed being under considerable force or pressure induces the draft through the bed of fuel, so that a substantially uniform and efficient draft through the fuel is constantly maintained.

Theoretically I might add that in carrying out the present method in the locomotive, wherein the grate surface is sufficient to permit an intake of air to supply the draft-creating exhaust, and wherein the intake of air is correspondingly prevented by the barrier constituted by the bed of fuel, resulting in the sucking up of the fuel itself by the exhaust, then my volume of air is at least sufficient to supply an amount equal to the difference between the maximum air intake of the grate, and its reduced intake when obstructed by the bed of fuel, whereby the suction of the exhaust is correspondent from the detailed description hereinafter ingly relieved. This air also being under contained when read in connection with said force, assists the draft through the fire grate drawings.

and fuel, and being highly heated, when it I11 the drawings, Figure l is a vertical seccommingles with the gaseous products or tional view through the fire box, and im- 73 particles of fuel arising from the fuel bed, a mediately associated parts of the locomotive, highly combustible mixture is created which Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View ignites and is wholly consumed in the comof the same, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal secbustion area in the rear of the fire box and tional view showing both of the discharge through the boiler tubes. nozzles in elevation.

In some instances the amount of air may Referring more specifically to the drawbe obtained by the suction of the exhaust ings, wherein like reference characters desigalone. nate corresponding parts in the several In the case of stationary furnaces the volviews, A represents the fire box of the loco- 5 ume of air, whether injected under the sucmotive, B the steam boiler thereof, C the tion of the usual smoke stack or under other tubes or flues of the steam boiler, D the fire force, assists the draft through the fire grate box grate and E the door of the fire box, and fuel, and insures the combustion of the the exhaust mechanism operating through smoke, gases, and smaller particles of fuel, the engine stack being of the usual type (not 20 the same as hereinabove stated in connection shown). with locomotive use. In both instances, Projecting laterally beyond the sides of however, I have found that there is a great the fire box A, and occupying positions saving of fuel, ranging between thirty and somewhat lower than the plane of the grate sixty per cent., the efiiciency of the furnace D are a pair of intake funnels E, the open- 25 or steaming capacity of the engine or boiler ings thereof being disposed forwardly of the greatly increased, and smoke practically engine whereby to receive the air forced entirely dispensed with. In both cases, also, thereinto during the travel of the engine. the temperature of the furnace although in- The funnels are supported from the engine creased considerably beyond the heat usually frame by brackets e, and fit at one end into 30 obtained therein, is nevertheless a more contransverse connecting pipes F in turn sup- 5 sistent or uniform temperature, thus overported from brackets f. The pipes F lead coming serious fluctuations with the resultinwardly to points near the rear-most corners ant shrinkage and contraction of the tubes or of the fire box whence they are connected fines, etc., which so frequently cause the to short upright pipes II preferably of 35 joints to weep or leak with the inherent immetal, terminating at points slightly below pairment of operation and expense of rethe plane of the grate D. The upright pipes pairs. H last referred to support the nozzle con- Still another feature of the invention renecting sections I, and near the upper ends sides in the simultaneous feeding of the fuel of the sections I are supported the nozzles 40 (such as coal) to the fire and the forcing of J. The sections I and nozzles J are preferan increased volume of air above the fuel ably made of a material capable of withto enable complete combustion of the dense standing the intense heat within the fire or heavier products which initially arises chamber, for instance, fire-brick. from a fresh supply of fuel. Each nozzle J is of a curved elbow type 45 Specifically, the invention comprehends of decreasing interior area toward its outthe introduction of the air in a sheet made let and merges from a circular cross-section, up of converging fan-like sheets the inner at its connection with the section I, into a or adjoining edges of which impact with horizontally disposed elongated flat diseach other and the outer edges of which imcharge end whereby to emit fan-like sheets 50 pact against the side walls of the fire box of air as indicated by dotted lines in Fig.

whereby the united sheet is to a large extent 3 which together form a sheet of air passdifl'used into a spray at a point within the ing over substantialy the whole of the bed combustion area in rear of the bed of fuel, of fuel. Owing to the peculiar formation and preferably substantially in line with of the nozzle, it will be clear that as the 55 the bottom of the fine of the furnace or the air passing therethrough becomes heated to lower series of boiler tubes, and away from increasing temperature, its expansion is likeobjectionable contact with the bridge-wall wise greater and the restricted capacity of or flue-sheet, whereby return or counter curthe exit portion of the nozzle causes the esrents are prevented. cape of the air to be with great impetus.

60 \Vith a view to facilitating a better under The discharge ends of the nozzles extend standing of my present invention, I have to and occupy a position near the top of shown in the accompanying drawings an enthe fire box and are forwardly and downgine in connection with which my method wardly inclined slightly substantially on the may be carried into practical effect, the speline indicated in Fig. 1, whereby to point 65 cial features of which engine will be appartoward the lower series of boiler tubes C so that in practice the sheets of air will be forced forwardly in substantially the same general line as the draft through the grate and fuel and in line with the boiler tubes, whereby not to create reverse or counter currents, or be otherwise opposed to said general line of draft.

As is known to those skilled in the art, the fire grate or the bed of fuel placed thereon does not extend forwardly to the flue sheet, but that a space known as the combustion area is maintained intermediate the flue sheet and the bed of fuel, and upon an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the adjacent or inner converging lines of the fan-like sheets of air emitted from the nozzles J cross at a point rearward of the bed of fuel and within this combustion area, also that the outer or diverging lines of said fan-like sheets tend in a direction to intersect the walls of the fire box at points substantially within the same plane, transversely of the fire box, as said point of intersection of the inner or converging lines. This arrangement enables the'utilization of the forced sheets of air to assist the draft through the fire grate and bed of fuel, maintains a constant and unbroken current above the fuel, and insures at the point where the combustion of the products arising from the fuel is desired and where it cannot seriously interfere with the draft through the fuel, an intimate commingling of the air with the products arising from the fire and practically complete combustion thereof within the combustion area and through the boiler tubes, the impact of the fan-like sheets with each other and with the walls of the fire box diffusing the air into a spray and filling substantially the entire area of the combustion chamber whereby the ignition and consumpt-ion of the mixture secured thereby is practically instantaneous. This air also, as stated in the forepart of this specification, relieves the exhaust through the engine stack, overcoming any disturbance of the bed of fuel thereby.

Owing to the volume of air injected into the furnace and the force with which it is passed over the body of fuel, it will be apparent that the sheet will constitute a moving barrier extending across the combustion area between the bed of fuel and the flue or fines moving in the general direction of the draft but with which all products arising from the burning fuel must contact and commingle as is obvious, while in addition to this the contacting edges of the sheet are converted into a spray within the combustion area. Thus it will be appreciated that it is impossible for any unconsumed gases, or particles of fuel, arising from the fuel bed to escape the process of commingling with the air and being consumed therewith.

The sheet of air may be introduced with the desired force by employing a steam injector, the nozzle of which is represented at K connected by a pipe L with a source of steam supply M, or compressed air may be used if desired. A valve N controls the ejector under normal conditions. The pipe L, however, has a bypass O in which is a valve P having an operating stem Q, a spring R keeping the valve closed when the door of the fire chamber is shut or but partially opened. The valve stem Q. is so arranged, however, that it passes through a retarding device S comprising a cylinder containing a liquid such as oil, and a piston T adapted to reciprocate therein secured to the valve stem Q, the spring R, before mentioned, bearing against the piston to keep the valve P closed under normal conditions. However, when the door E is thrown open in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3), the same contacts the end of the stem Q, forces the same inwardly against the pressure of the spring R, opens the valve P and permits the steam to pass to the jet nozzle K. The door may be immediately closed but the action of the retarding device will permit the valve stem to be restored to normal position and the valve closed only by a slow gradual movement whereby the injection of steam and air will be continued for the required period of time after the door is closed to insure the complete combustion of the heavier or dense gases or products arising from the bed of fuel immediately following the introduction of the fresh supply of fuel. This valve and the retarding mechanism therefor need not be further considered in detail herein, inasmuch as the same constitutes subject matter of a copending application for the apparatus, Serial No. 427,119 filed April 15, 1908.

By the foregoing arrangement, it will be appreciated that the steam injector may be operated at will by the valve N when the furnace door is closed, and that the same may be actuated automatically through the medium of the by-pass and valve P when the door is opened the required distance, and also that the door may be fully opened without actuating the steam injector should it be desired simply to cool the fire chamber, which desideratum may arise under some conditions of service.

It is further to be noted that the lower ends of the nozzles being embedded in the burning body of fuel, the air passing therethrough becomes heated to substantially the same degree as the air of the usual draft passing through the grate and fuel, whereby the temperature of both supplies of air when they commingle with the gaseous and other products in the combustion chamber is substantially the same, this evening or balancing of temperatures of the several supplies to the finally commingled product seemingly being prerequisite to complete or perfect combustion. In this way the regulation of the ten'iperature of the additional air supplied in keeping with my invention is controlled by the fire itself.

I claim:

1. The art of promoting combustion in furnaces consisting in igniting a body of fuel supported upon a grate, supplying air to the fuel from below the grate, and forcibly introducing above the fuel while the furnace door is closed a volume of heated air in the general direction of the draft of the furnace and in sheet formation to intercept and in volume to insure the consumption of the combustible gases and particles arising from the body of fuel, the volume and velocity of the introduced air being such as to assist the draft through the grate and fuel and facilitate the maintenance of the required draft through the fuel, said volume and force of the introduced air being such that the sheet is not materially dissipated or consumed in its passage directly over the fuel whereby it is adequate upon reaching the combustion area beyond the fuel bed to fully commingle with the combustible products arising from the burning fuel and insure the consumption thereof, and augmenting the supply of heated. air above the fuel by the opening of the furnace door for the introduction of fresh fuel.

2. The art of promoting combustion in furnaces consisting in igniting a body of fuel supported-upon a grate, supplying air to the fuel from below the grate, and forcibly introducing above the fuel, While the furnace door is closed a Volume of heated air in the general direction of the draft of the furnace and in sheet formation to intercept and in volume to insure the consumption of the combustible gases and particles arising from the body of fuel, the volume and velocity of the introduced air being such as to assist the draft through the grate and fuel and facilitate the maintenance of the required draft through the fuel, said volume and force of the introduced air being such that the sheet is not materially dissipated or consumed in its passage directly over the fuel whereby it is adequate upon reaching the combustion area beyond the fuel bed to fully commingle with the com bustible products arising from the burning fuel and insure the consumption thereof, the sheet being diffused into a spray within the combustion area to facilitate the result stated, and augmenting the supply of heated air above the fuel by the opening of the furnace door for the introduction of fresh fuel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. PARSONS. lVitnesses:

Tnos. R. HEATH, Jos. H. MILANs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (3. 

